Permutation-lock



(Nd Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

J. H. MORRIS. PERMUTATION LOGK.

No. 601,975. Patented A r. 5,1898.

No Model 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. H. MORRIS. PBRMUTATION LOOK.

Patented Apr. 5.1898. 17?. ,8.

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Jn HMorrz'J rotate and to have lateral movement, while 3 UNITED STATES,

- ATENT Prion.

JOHN H. MORRIS, OF SEWARD, NEBRASKA.

PERMUTATION-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,975, dated April 5, 18 98. 7

Application filed July 19, 1897- I To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. MORRIS, of Seward, Seward county, Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Permutation-Locks, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof. Y

My invention relates to permutation-locks, and has for its object the production of a positive and reliable lock of this character which is designed for use in connection with postoflice lock-boxes, but maybe used in any other connection to which it is applicable.

A further object of the invention is to produce a permutation-lock wherein the combination may be readily changed, which is composed of few working parts, and which is simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive of manufacture. I

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear; and it consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as set forth in the ap-- pended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a face View of a lock-box provided with a permutation-lock embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents an inner face View of the door and the lock carried thereby. Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section taken on the line III III of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a side view of a portion of the door and also shows clearly the end of a bolt and a lever'for manipulatin g the same. Fig. 5 represents in detail perspective the parts of one member of the lock. Fig. 6 is an inner face view of part of the other member of the lock. Fig. 7 is a sectional-view taken on the line VIIVII of Fig. 3, with the dial-plate omitted. Fig. 8 is a perspective in detail of parts of the boltcarrying memberof the lock and of said bolt. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the sliding plate whichacts in conjunction with the other member of the lock.-

In said drawings, ldesignates the door of a post-office lock box or equivalent device,and 2 the transparent window to disclose whether or not the box contains any mail. This lock is composed of two rotatable members, one of which carries a bolt and is adapted both to Serial No. 645,082. (No model.)

the other has rotatable movement alone and acts in conjunction with a sliding plate carried by the first-named member,and to receive the member which rotates alone the door is provided with a circular opening 3. member j ournaled in said opening comprises a hub or cylinder 4, which projectsoutwardly through said opening, and the circular head 5, which is located at the inner side'of the door and is provided with a radial 'hole or recess 6'. In order that said member may not rotate so easily as to renderit difficult to arrest it quickly and at a predetermined point, I interpose the thin-washer 7, preferably of spring metal, between the door and the head 5 of the member, as shown clearly in Fig. 8. 8 designates the knob of said member. It is preferably serrated or roughened peripherally for convenience in manipulating it and is provided with a tubular stem 9, which fits snugly into the cylindrical member or hub 4 and, being internally threaded, is secured firmly in such position by means of the clampin g-bolt 10, which extends loosely through the head 5 of said cylindrical member or hub, a washer 11 being preferably interposed between the clamping-bolt and said head.

12 designates a pair of diametrically-located pins which project outwardly from and are rigidly carried by the stem of said knob and engage cavities or grooves 13, formed in the outerends of the cylinder or hub 4 in order that it may be impossible for a person turning the 'member by grasping the knob 8 to unscrew the same and therebydisconnect it from said cylinder or hub. 14 design-ates the dial portion of said member, said dial being in the form of a conical ring and containing numbers, letters, or other characters upon its face, one or the other of which is adapted to aline with the indicating-mark 16 upon the face of the door when the corresponding member is properly set to permit the bolt to be withdrawn. The inner edge of this dial fits snugly in the annular groove 15 at the outer end of the cylinder or hub' 4 and is clamped rigidly in such position by'means of. the knob 8, as shown in Fig. 3, so that when said knob is turned the dial shall movewith it.

The

To one side of the opening 3 the door is pro- Vldd' with an elongated opening 17, and projecting radially inward thereof'from the end adjacent to and in radial alinement with the center of the opening 3 is a tongue 18. The cylinderportion of theh ub 19 of the other mem ber is journaled in said opening and is provided with a radial hole or recess 20, which is adapted to have telescopic action upon the tongue 18 as the bolt is manipulated. Said cylinder or hub is also peripherally notched or roughened, as at 19, to prevent a person seeking to find the combination and open the door from pressing the cylinder or hub against the end of the tongue and then turning the same gradually until the hole 20 registers with said tongue and permits the device to be unlocked and the door to beopened, as will be readily understood. By providing these peripheral notches or recesses it is obvious that the cylinder or hub cannot be pressed against the end'of the tongue and continuously rotated, as described, as the latter entering one of said notches would immediately stop the rotatable action and make necessary a slight forward movement of the cylinder or hub before the rotatable action could be continued. As the tongue would thus engage each peripheral notch, it is obvious that it would be exceedingly diificult and tedious to attempt to find the combination by this means, while if the periphery was smooth it could be found without ditiiculty, owing to the fact that the head of the other member is not roughened or notched and could be manipulated in the same way. It is to be understood, however, that the other member may be thus peripherally notched, or both; but it is really necessary that only one should be.

The inner face of the cylinder or hub 19 is reduced cylindrically, so as to form the annular shoulders 21 and 22, and projecting inwardly from the hub by the side of the shoulder 21 is a pin 23. The outer end or face of the hub is provided with an annular groove 24 and at diametrically opposite points with notches 25.

26 designates the knob of said member, and said knob is provided with a tubular and internally-threaded stem 27, which projects through said cylinder or hub. The pins 28, projecting outwardly from said stem, engage the notches of the hub, and a dial-plate 29, annular in form, has itsinner edge fitting snugly in the groove 24. Said dial is radially marked and provided with letters or other symbols, one or the other of which is adapted to register with the indicating-mark 30 upon the face of the door, and when so positioned the bolt may be withdrawn, provided the other member is properly set also.

The relation between the hub and knob and dial is maintained by means of the clamping bolt 31, which engages the threaded end of the stem and, through the medium of the washers 32 and 33, clamps the dial tightly between said hub and knob, as shown. The washer 32'bears against the washer 33, while the latter encircles the stem 27 and bears upon and overlaps the shoulder 22, formed at the inner end of the hub. (See Fig. 3.) By thus overlapping said shoulder it retains reliably in position the ring 34, which loosely encircles said shoulder 22 andis provided with a bolt extension 35 for locking the door in its closed position, said bolt extension extending in substantial alinement with the axes of said members and projecting loosely through an opening in the arm 36 of a plate 37, which reinforces or strengthens the central portion of the door and through which the cylinders or hubs described project, or said plate 37 may be integrally formed with the door itself.

In order to prevent the dial 29 rotating too easily, and therefore making it a little difficult to adjust said dial relative to the indicating-mark 30 of the door, I employ a Washer 38, which is mounted upon the shoulder 21 of the hub 19 and is provided with a notch 39, which fits over the pin 23. (See Figs. 3 and 8.) This washer is of greater diameter than the hub, and therefore bears frictionally upon the sliding plate 40, provided with a circular opening 41, embracing the hub, and with a tongue or extension 42, which is adapted to enter the opening 6 of the hub 4 (see Fig. 3) when both dials are properly positionedthat is, when the device is unlocked.

In order to hold the bolt advanced with a yielding pressure, and consequently to hold the hub 19 in position for rotation, I employ a spring 43, which is coiled around and fulcrumed upon a pin 44, projecting inwardly of the door. Said spring is provided with a right-angled arm 45, which bears against the washer 33 by preference to hold the corresponding member advanced, as referred to, and also against the under side of the bolt extension 35, so as to maintain the same substantiall y in a horizontal position, that it may be always prepared to properly engage its locking socket or cavity (not shown) as it is advanced. The opposite arm 46 of the spring finds a bearing against the pin 47, and therefore holds the spring to its work at all times.

I11 order that the sliding action of the boltcarrying dial may take place without any chance of accidentally rotating its dial when the combination has been found, I pivot a lever 48 to the door, as at49, said lever being provided with a circular hole or opening 50, which embraces loosely the stem of the knob just outward of the dial, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. By pressing against the lower end of said lever the corresponding member may be shifted laterally toward its companion member, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

Supposing that the combination known to theoperator is the letter I upon the dial 29 and V upon the dial 14, he manipulates the dials by grasping and turning the knobs u ntil such letters register with the indicatingmarks 30 and 16, respectively, of the door. \Vhen the dials are so positioned, the hole 20 of the hub 19 is in alinement with the tongue 18, and the hole 6 of the hub,4 is in alinement with the tongue 42 of the sliding plate 40, and the dials are prevented from accidentally rotating further by the action of the friction-washers 7 and 38, as hereinbefore explained. The operator now places a thumb or finger against the free end of the lever 48 and swings it to the position'shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1. Byso doing the hub 19 ismoved in the elongated opening 17, (see Fig. 7,) the dial accompanies it, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the tongues and openings referred to perform their telescopic function, and the bolt is withdrawn. The door may then be opened. After the door is closed. the lever is released and the spring 43 causes said parts to reassume their original position and the door is locked. lhe operator then grasps and turns one or both of the knobs and dials, and thereby loses the combination to unauthorized persons, who cannot readily find it by manipulation ofthedials, because of the fact that oneor both of the hubs are peripherally notched or roughened; neither can an un authorized person, without breaking the door, unscrew the knobs from position owing to the fact that the pins carried thereby occupy and are clamped in the notches or grooves of the hubs.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a' permutationlock which is positive and reliable in operation, which is of compact construction and composed of few parts, and which cannot easily get out of order, and it is to be understood that changes may be made which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrifice any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by-Letters Patent, iso 1. A permutation-lock, comprising a rotatable member mounted in a door and provided with a radial opening and a marked dial, a second member mounted rotatably in the door and adapted to slide toward or from the firstnamed member, aplate mounted thereon and provided with a tongue, a second plate mounted thereon, and provided with a bolt extension, and a spring holding said member and its connected part-s advanced, substantially as described. 7

2. A permutation-lock, comprising a member consisting of a tubular hub rotatably mounted in a door and provided with a radial opening, a groove and notches, a knob provided with a tubular stem fitting in said hub and having a pin engagingsaid notches, a marked dial engaging the groove of the hub, and a clamping-bolt clamping said hub and said knob upon the interposed dial, a second member, mounted slidingly and rotatably in the door, and providedwith a bolt extension at one side and a sliding plate havinga tongue at its opposite side, and a spring holding said second member withthe bolt normallyadvanced, substantially as described.

3. A permutation-lock, comprising a door provided with an elongated opening and with a tongue projecting inwardly of the same at one end, a member rotatably mounted in. said opening and provided with a radial opening adapted to register with said tongue, and with peripheral notches in the plane of said radial opening, a ring mounted upon said member and provided with a bolt extension, and a spring holding said member and said bolt normally advanced, substantially as described.

4. A permutation-lock, comprising a member consisting of a tubular hub rotatably mounted in adoor and provided with a radial opening, a groove and notches, a knob provided with a tubular stem fitting in said hub and having a pin engaging said notches, a marked dial engaging the groove of the hub, and a clamping-bolt clamping said hub and said knob upon the interposed plate, a second 7 member, mounted rotatably and slidingly in the door and having an opening, and provided with a bolt extension at one side and a sliding plate having a tongue at its opposite side, a spring holding said second member with the bolt normally advanced, and a tongue projecting from the door to prevent the withdrawal ofthe bolt 'until it registers withan opening of said sliding member, substantially as described.

5. A permutation-lock, comprising a door provided with an elongated opening and with 6. A permutation-lock, comprising a door' provided with an elongated opening and with a tongue projecting inwardly of the same at one end, a member rotatably mounted in said opening and provided with a radial opening adapted to registerwith said tongue, and with peripheral notches in the plane of said radial opening, a ring mounted upon said member and provided with a bolt extensionya'nd a spring holding said member and said bolt normally advanced, a second member rotatably mounted in the door and provided with an opening, a marked dial mounted upon each of said members, and a sliding plate mounted upon the first-named member and provided with a tongue adapted to engage the opening of the last-named.member, substantially as described.

7. In a permutation-lock, a door provided with a circular openin g, an elongated opening, a tongue projecting inwardly of said opening at the end adjacent to the circular opening, and radial marks adjacent to said openings upon its face, a rotatable and slidable member mounted in one opening of the door, and

consisting of a hub having a' radial opening, a groove, notches and apin, a knob provided with a tubular extension fitting in said hub and internally threaded, and with a pin engaging said notches, a marked dial-plate having its inner edge engaging said groove, a washer surrounding said stem bearing against the inner end of the hub, a Washer bearing against said first-namedwasher, and a clamping-bolt engaging said stem and said lastnamed washer so as to clamp the members firmly upon said dial and said pin reliably in said notches,asliding plate mounted upon said hub and provided with a tongue, a notched Washer mounted upon said hub engaging said pin and bearing against said sliding plate, a

'ring mounted upon said hub and held in place by the first-named Washer, and provided with a bolt extension, a second member rotatably mounted in the door and provided with a radial opening and a marked dial, and a spring holding the first-named member yieldingly advanced, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. MORRIS. Witnesses:

E. A.. NEIHARDT, A. J. PENCE. 

